I spent the tail end of yesterday reading bloggage and offering comments (I’m really sorry it’s taken me so long, everyone), and I was struck by a particular sentiment among several that I’m just beginning to read. A couple of them seemed to say that they don’t like to read blogs that lack drama because they’re just not interesting enough.
I get that. I get how people would want drama in their reading. It’s what makes for good fiction, after all. I also get how, if all people did was write about what went on in their day, it wouldn’t mean much unless you had a personal investment in them. One of the reasons I decided to work on a general theme in this space is to avoid just that issue (although, based on the fact that all I did the last two days is give you a to-do list, I’ve clearly got some work to do). I’d like to apologize, then, to the people who read this blog and find that it lacks a certain interest. I’ll try to do better.
Here’s the thing, though. While I will do my best to be aware of the need to write things of interest, you won’t find a lot of conflict and drama here. There’s just not that much of it in my life. I wrote in my profile a phrase that means more and more to me every time I read it. It says, “My life is both mundane and spectacular, and no, that’s not a paradox.” In part, this means that my life is just a life. I get up with messy hair. My kids don’t always play well together. I have bills and not a lot of money. In part, it means that, in the midst of all that, I choose to enjoy a sense of wonder and discovery at my life. Even when things aren’t going according to plan, I am often amazed at all the things that have added up to that particular moment. It doesn’t mean I won’t be pissed when the house is falling down around me. It does mean that I’m continually amazed I live in a house that I actually signed the loan for bought. Life is what life is, and for most of us it’s got all the same stuff. The thing that makes it spectacular--and the thing that leaves it largely devoid of conflict--is how I choose to view it.
Am I just leading a rich internal life, do you think?
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
A Failure to Provide the Drama
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3 comments:
"Am I just leading a rich internal life, do you think?"
No; I don't think so.
I take issue with the people who insist on "drama" for their blog reading. Well, not "issue," exactly, but I don't think that we, as blog authors, should cater to a particular reader unless, of course, that's what we got into blogging for in the first place.
This space is, first and foremost, YOURS. You need to determine not only why you write, but also what you want to get out of the experience. MY reasons for blogging center mostly around community; I like having a place where I can put my thinking down and have it available to others for comment, consideration, critique and challenge. Other people write to entertain or to gain attention or for ad revenue. It's all about what you want to put in - and what you want to get out.
I find nothing wrong with your blogging style, but clearly you do. Find your path, then follow it. Don't worry who comes along for your ride.
People who are looking for blogs with drama are deluded. Blogs packed with drama in every single post are blogs where the writer is either lying or should be concentrating on their real life because it's clearly out of hand. You want narrative arc? Read a book! You want drama? Skim a tabloid! Blogs are about every day life and if someone lists what they've done each day or what they've spent or the butts they've wiped then, yeah, it's not very exciting but if, instead, they're telling you the butt wiping stories in an interesting way then it's a good blog and doing what blogging is supposed to do.
At least that's what I think.
I'm only willing to read the blogs of people who I want to get to know better. And in real life, I am not a big fan of those people who have, create, or need drama in their lives everyday.
I'm quite enjoying your mundane, thanks.
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